The Stars Collective: Suikoden Drabbles
by K'Arthur
Summary: A collection of requested minifics that were written in less than fifteen minutes a piece. Some are humorous, others more serious.
1. Drabbles of the Silverberg Variety

_A/N: In need for some inspiration, I recently offered "15 minute request drabbles" to members of livejournal. These are the results.  
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For **pyrefly**: Albert and the line "What happened to the garlic butter?" 

Few things bothered Albert more than bad smells. He could handle watching death claim someone, but the stench of the corpse would flip his stomach. And tonight, he had discovered the worst smell of all--his younger brother's horrible breath.

He wasn't sure what Caesar had eaten, but every time his mouth opened, Albert swore the end of the world was nigh. It was a vile smell--strong and penetrating. Albert had tried backing away and sitting at the opposite end of the table, but he could not get away from it. Every move he made Caesar followed, giggling. Apparently this was a game of tag to him.

Fortunately, bedtime came early for the younger child, so Albert had some time to investigate the cause of smell. He snuck into the kitchen and began searching the cabinets and icebox until he found what could only be the offending item. Quickly, he disposed of it outside.

The next morning, one of the maids was heard to say, "What happened to the garlic butter?"

Albert could only grin at his victory.

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For **iyori**: Mathiu and the theme "Raven" 

(Hm...only two things came to mind with this prompt: Shu's hair and the poem "The Raven" I combined the two...sorta, I guess)

"Why Master?" the young man asked as he looked up from the textbook in front of him. "Everyone says that you were the best. Why just up and quit?"

"I'd rather not discuss that with you, Shu."

"Why not? I've read all of the history. I know how you won battle after battle for the Emperor."

Mathiu Silverberg pinched the bridge of his nose. "No, you only read what those who wrote wanted to you believe. Let's not discuss it."

Shu, like any inquisitive adolescent persisted. "So what is it that they don't want me to know?"

Never for a moment did Mathiu hint at losing his patience, though his reply came as a question. "Have you ever seen death?"

"No. You can't see death, Master. That's an impossible question."

"Allow me to rephrase: Have you ever watched someone die?"

"No, but what does this have to do with why you refuse to return to your commission in the Imperial Army?"

Mathiu sighed and shook his head, his thick auburn hair accentuating the small motion. "Armies fight wars. Death comes with war, Shu. Death and war--they are not mutually exclusive. If you are willing to fight in an army, to lead them to war, you need to be able to handle death."

"Forgive me, Master, but you handled it before."

"That is true, but once I saw how I was destroying people's lives and families, I stopped. Nevermore will I participate in such activity."

Shu gave a slight grin at his teacher. "Yet you instruct us in your craft."

"Only with the hope that when war breaks out--and it will, since we as a civilization are not intelligent enough to use diplomacy to solve our problems--that you can stop it. The moment you use your talents to manipulate nations, people, even a dog, is the moment that you have forgotten everything that I've taught you."

Shu returned to reading his text, but more questions remained. He knew they would have to wait for another time, though. Master Mathiu had already moved to sit in his favorite chair by the fire. He would not speak again that night.

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For **chibisophita**: Odessa and Leon having a conversation. 

Leon Silverberg didn't know how to speak to children. It wasn't that he couldn't learn, it was that he didn't see the point in learning. When his own son was born, he sent him off to school during those awkward child-years so that he wouldn't have to communicate with him. It was a sound plan; when George returned in his teens, Leon treated him as an adult.

His plan was working well until his older brother's children became his problem. With George away at school, he generally left them to the servants to deal with. It wasn't that they were bad--hardly. Both were well mannered, and the boy definitely had promise. It was the girl.

Odessa was flighty and sometimes downright annoying to him. She'd ask him a million questions and then dispute the answers. It wasn't a good sort of dispute, either. It was more of her lack of understanding that led to more questions. It was a vicious circle and Leon, quite frankly, did not have time for it.

One morning, she traipsed into his study, her toy cat in her arms. "Good morning, Uncle Leon!"

"Hello, Odessa."

"I have a question!" she said, smiling.

"Why don't you ask Mathiu?" Leon responded, hoping his nephew could run interferance on this one. He had work to do.

"Math said I should ask you!"

Leon frowned. The boy was learning. "All right. What's the question."

Odessa asked, "Where do babies come from?"


	2. Suikoden III Drabbles

_A/N: In need for some inspiration, I recently offered "15 minute reqest drabbles" to members of livejournal. These are the results._

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For **mithrigil**: Percival's son, Ryan (From my story 'Harvest Days') and the line "...well it wasn't my fault, then."

Percival had fought many battles, slayed many monsters and even participated in a grand-scale war. But none of those deeds had prepared him to parent an eight year-old boy with an inordinate ability to find trouble. Sure, the good natured knight had once been that age and caused his share of mischief, so this could be construed as poetic justice, but that didn't make it any easier to deal with.

This time, Ryan had tried to convince his younger brother to jump from the hayloft into a pile of hay. It wouldn't have been a problem had poor Geoff actually been willing, but he balked at the height and started to cry. So, doing what any good brother would as the other children laughed, Ryan gave him a shove. It wasn't a mean shove, just a bit of encouragement, but it was enough to scare the younger boy into one of his breathing attacks.

"Ryan," Percival started, his voice pleading. "You can't be doing such hateful things to your brother. He'll never be as strong as you."

"But..."

"No buts."

"I didn't hurt him. I didn't want the others to laugh at him. They're always laughing at him."

"No, you didn't hurt him directly."

The boy straightened up. "Well it wasn't my fault, then."

"No," Percival said in a slightly harsher tone. "It was your fault. You're supposed to look out for Geoff, not push him out of hayloft windows."

"He wouldn't jump," Ryan muttered as he winced at his father's voice. "He wouldn't jump like the rest of us."

Raising an eyebrow the knight said, "So the appropriate response was to force him out?"

After considering a moment, the boy relented. "No, Father."

"Go apologize to him. And I never want to hear of you doing such a thing again."

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For **shewalks**: Hugo fic!

Hugo walked to the fountain at the front of the manor. He didn't particularly care for the castle--it was too confining and the walls were too thick. No bit of sound managed to permeate them. Back in Karaya, he would take comfort in the noises from outside, especially at night.

This night, there was no sleep to be found for the young man. Sitting on the wall of the fountain, he glanced down at his reflection and rubbed the back of his right hand. The mark the True Fire Rune had left was still there, haunting him. He had offered to take it but at the time he hadn't fully considered the consequences. Now here he was, leading an army of allies and enemies alike to fight some idiot who wanted to destroy the world.

It seemed so surreal.

He absently dipped the hand that bore the rune into the water. A moment later, the fountain began to boil. He yanked his hand out.

The damn rune had a mind of its own. He only prayed that he would learn to control it--unlike the last Flame Champion.

After taking once last glance at the sky, he returned to the manor to try and sleep in that most uncomfortable bed.

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For **pansiestbishop**: Lucia and Sasarai with the line "...I see."

Lucia settled down into the warm and inviting water and closed her eyes. A bath was just what she needed after the day's training, meetings and tribulations. The bath master had been kind enough to add some lavender to the water, allowing her to indulge in the moment even further.

While enjoying the serenity and sweet scent of the water, she nearly drifted off but was suddenly awakened by another entering the bath. Opening her eyes, she nearly jumped out of the tub upon seeing who it was.

"Bishop!" She shouted. "Get out!"

The young man--who could have easily been mistaken for a twelve year old female gymnast--quickly wrapped his bathrobe about him as a feverish blush spread across his face.

"Forgive me. I thought this tub was unoccupied."

"Well, it's not. The men's bath is on the other side."

"...I see. Forgive me, I didn't realize they were seperate."

As he walked away, Lucia said: "Perhaps you should read the signs, Bishop."

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For **riennathered**: The quote "Leo has a fanclub?"

Chris rummaged through the comment box at Budehuc Castle. Some of the notes were amusing, others asking favors, and one idiot kept writing her asking for a date. She tore the unimportant ones up and tucked the others into her pocket. Glancing down into the box once more, she grabbed the last one that hadn't been read.

She opened it and read it quickly:

_Leo,  
Your performance last night in the theater drew much applause. I hope you will return to your natural habitat--the stage! Your fans adore you, do not let them down!  
Signed,  
Nadir_

Chris blinked and read the note again, completely baffled what it was doing in her box, and moreso that her strongest knight was apparently moonlighting as an actor.

Turning around, she nearly bumped into Salome, her ever-present shadow these days, it seemed.

"Something wrong, milady?"

"No...but, read this note," she said, handing it to the kind strategist.

"It would seem that Leo's portrayal of Neclord was quite popular last night."

"It was? I'm sorry I missed it."

Salome coughed. "It was better that you did, milady. I don't believe the performance was intended to turn into a burlesque show."

Chris raised a brow. "What are you saying, Salome?"

"Ah...don't concern yourself with it."

Just then, a young woman giggled as she reached between the two knights to put a note in the box. When she was gone, Chris retrieved it. It was another note addressed to Leo and it mentioned--in nauseating detail--how much the young lady admired his rear-end.

Chris shook her head. "I just can't believe it. I understand their attraction to Percival and Borus...but..."

"But what, milady?"

"I can't believe that Leo has a fanclub!"


	3. Suikoden IV Drabbles

_A/N: In need for some inspiration, I recently offered "15 minute request drabbles" to members of livejournal. These are the results._

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For **aronia**: Elenor and Paula

You!" The tactician called to the first person passing in the hall. "Come here!"

The elf turned around, hoping not to let her shock at the woman's rudeness show. "Yes?"

"Come here," the older woman slurred. "I need help."

Clearly Paula thought.

As she entered the woman's room, a bottle of wine was shoved into her grasp. "Open that."

"Pardon?"

"Are you deaf, girl? Open the damn bottle."

Paula glanced around and retrieved the corkscrew from the table where a half dozen other empty bottles stood at attention like soldiers.

"Hurry up!" Elenor mumbled. "I've got some thinking to do."

The elf struggled with the cork but eventually managed to pull it out. "There you are, Lady Elenor."

"Fine. Go away."

Paula walked out of the room shaking her head and hoping the woman found whatever it was she was looking for.

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For **elregrs**: Sigurd and Dario with the line "You have really bad aim, you know"

Lady Kika's pirates were having another party. It seemed like a daily occurrence to Sigurd, but he didn't mind. Although he wasn't as much as a drinker as Hervey, and certainly not even in the same league as Dario, he'd sit back and sip a glass of wine while waiting for another fight to break out. It wasn't the actual fight he'd wait for, no, he was more interested in watching Lady Kika herself break them up.

Just about the time things were getting really rowdy and Hervey had started removing his clothing, Dario began to square off with another man. Sigurd laughed to himself. The man was twice Dario's near-troll height and considerably more sober. This would be a good one, and any time Dario made an ass of himself, well, that was just the icing on the cake.

Hervey, now sans pants and shirt, slumped down next to him. "Great party, huh?"

"Yes," Sigurd said, not taking his eyes off Dario and the other man.

"Oh man! Dario's gonna get his ass kicked! Where's Nalleo? He should see this!"

Sigurd pointed into the crowd. "He is. Dario's such a role model."

Hervey squinted through his alcohol-induced daze to see Dario's son was indeed there, watching the entire event. "Who is that guy?"

"What guy?" Sigurd asked.

"The one he's fighting. Never seen him before."

Sigurd shrugged. "I don't know."

Hervey stood up on the table, his heart covered boxers now in Sigurd's face. "Hey, hey! Not fair! You can't use weapons!"

Sigurd jumped up from his seat and saw that the other man had Dario pinned against a wall, a blade as his throat. He quickly tossed one of his knives across the room, striking the other man in the back.

Dario managed to slip away from him and the party continued. Never one to offer thanks, he walked up to Sigurd and slurred, "You really have bad aim, you know. You shoulda hit him in the head."

Sigurd just shrugged. There was only so much he could do


End file.
